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| Opiates are drugs that are derived from the Opium poppy plant. |
Due to the central nervous system origins of fibromyalgia pain, Clauw said treatments with opioids or other narcotic analgesics usually are not effective because they do not reduce the activity of neurotransmitters in the brain.
Opioid drugs include:
- codeine
- fentanyl (Actiq, Duragesic, Fentora)
- hydrocodone (Lorcet, Lortab, Norco, Vicodin)
- hydromorphone (Dilaudid, Exalgo)
- meperidine (Demerol)
- methadone (Dolophine, Methadose)
- morphine (Avinza, Kadian, MS Contin, Ora-Morph SR)
- oxycodone (OxyContin, Oxyfast, Percocet, Roxicodone)
- oxycodone and naloxone (Targiniq ER)
These drugs seem to temporarily control the pain experienced in fibro and then often significantly complicate other aspects of the syndrome including nonrestorative sleep, fatigue, and irritable bowel symptoms including constipation.
Other adverse effects such as sedation and mental clouding are also of particular concern in patients with FM because they may also have these problems, ususally called fibro fog, due to the syndrome. Finally, opioid-induced effects on sleep, such as sleep-disordered breathing, may further worsen unrefreshed sleep and fatigue .[2]
SOURCES:
American Pain Society press release
WebMD Opioid (Narcotic) Pain Medications
Ngian GS, Guymer EK, Littlejohn GO. The use of opioids in fibromyalgia. Int J Rheum Dis. 2011;14:6–1
[2] Wang D, Teichtahl H. Opioids, sleep architecture and sleep-disordered breathing. Sleep Med Rev. 2007;11:35–46.
